CH 1 Koma
Having the power of Persona is a constant learning experience. Whether it be gaining new skills or meeting new enemies. For Joker there was always something new, he was a special case from the start.
The Pharaoh's Tomb was far different than anything they had faced yet. Her corruption was different, it wasn't her ego being fed with desire. It was destruction. He wanted to save her. He needed to save her. Futaba was on her own deadline and he could feel her Palace aching with erosion. Chamber of Rejection was a painfully suitable name for a floor..
Joker holds back a shiver when a whisper of thought crosses his mind. Grateful when his other half blows it away into the darkness. If it wasn't for Arsene, would this fate have befallen him as well?
Joker picked up the winnings from their latest fight leading the team onward through the door. There was a definite spike in the strength of the Shadows here, though they weren't struggling too badly yet. Perhaps he should suggest training in Mementos after a rest day tomorrow…
A second statue and orb greeted them in the next room, Joker eyes the tablet beside it warily before plucking it up. He lets out a breath when nothing immediately happens, stowing it carefully in his magicly bottomless pockets.
The 'curse' activated as soon as they left the room. New Shadows bursting into existence throughout the hall.
A crimson hand wreathed in redblack flames, a leap and a yank. The Shadow that formed from the spilling ink the very twin of the statue Joker just took the orb from. Something about this one rubbed him the wrong way.
Sure the Angels and Archangels in Komashida's Castle gave him a similar feeling but the attacks they used were no more than a burst of light before immediate unconsciousness, if they even worked. The Anubis was a whole new level, Arsene couldn't hold back the demonic hiss that slithered through Joker's teeth. Queen's surprised gasp told him the blood red glow at the edges of his vision wasn't likely his imagination either. The Anubis turns its gaze on him and Joker's heart froze in fear.
There was a flash and he went blind, an inhuman shriek ravaged his ears and it was only the blood on his tongue that hinted the noise was their own. There were no thoughts, only pain pain PAIN! as their skin burned. The pain sizzling through their muscles, bones, their very soul ablaze with the heat of the Sun! They sensed more than saw more magic being cast about, seething with fury and vengeance, but somehow not registering as dangerous to themselves either. Even so the noise in their ears went unheard, too filled with pain and instinct took the lead for flight.
Ocean blue eyes watched the figure leave swimming with worry. "I've never seen him that bad… Ice must only be a second, minor weakness.."
Fox hums, tail twitching softly in thought. "Joker's powers are far different than our own in many ways.. Perhaps the wounds of betrayal struck deeper than we thought? Burned by the light of a system he trusted to be just, he turned to the shadows that welcomed him with protection and anonymity." he often wondered if the rest of them were even capable of the same, but as of yet there was only one.
Queen shifts her weight anxiously, "Excuse me, what just happened?! Are we going to sit here and ignore the fact that our leader just suddenly mutated into a de-"
She's interrupted by a sharp snap, static crackles as electricity arcs through the air around the group.
"Maybe, instead a standin around flappin yer gums, we should go look fer the lil bird afore he gets himself in more trouble!"
Skull's eyes were glowing. Not the same sinister gold shade that shadows had, but bright and alive like a lightning bolt's wrath. She couldn't even see the whites of his eyes through the shade of his mask. The toothed edge of which lined up a little too well with his upper lip. The silver canines seemed a bit longer than when she last looked. Magic lashed between them, wild and angry, a live wire untethered.
"Woah! Hey, easy Skull, it's not her fault. She's just as worried as the rest of us." Panther stepped smoothly between them.
"Listen, we're all a bit rattled and Joker's probably not himself right now, why don't you three go back to the safe room? Skull and I will look for him."
"But I-" the cat's protest tapered off from the touch on his head, Panther crouching down to his level with a soft smile.
"You know crowding him like this will just make it worse, plus Queen deserves a real explanation." she nods to the president's direction, said girl looking ashamed but lost on what to say. "Besides, do you really want to be around Sparky right now?" She chuckles, Mona's fur bristling from the static alone.
"Fine.. but at least take my Elec ring with you. Wouldn't want you to get hurt babysitting of all things."
Panther accepts the compromise for what it was, grinning cheekily. "Don't worry I'll have the kids in bed by eight, dinner and all."
"Where is 'e?!" Skull's voice was caught between Kidd's snarl and Ryuji's whine. They had scoured the whole floor, through the main hall, the previous chambers, and back to where they started. The longer they came up with nothing the more Skull unraveled. The cuffs of his pants and sleeves grew tattered and frayed, crusted in age old salt. Panther could see the gaps behind his gloves, wrists nothing but bone.
At least the lightning was under control again, what few sparks escaped unwillingly were kept close to the skin and away from her.
"Let's stop and think for a second. Don't give me that look Sakamoto! Just listen. He's not thinking straight so let's try and see things from his view. Where would he go?"
Skull takes a deep breath and holds it for a moment, were their lungs even still there? Did they even need it right now? Still it helps somewhat, easing the shake of their hands minutely.
"Birdy wouldn a gone into the sun, not after tha'. Likely down in the dark, as far away from the light as 'e could."
"Dark, quiet, as few Shadows as possible.." there's a sound tickling her brain, the endless sandfalls around them conjuring images of the figure she saw last. The quiet rasp of ebony feathers as they rustled in panic. "Oh my God we are such idiots!"
Pink latched onto yellow, yanking the pirate thug behind her as she ran towards the nearest bottomless pit. Panther dropped to her knees at the edge, leaning into the gloom as if it would clear away from her glare alone.
"That trapdoor from before, it dropped us into some kind of basement right? Do you think it's connected to these?"
They didn't even stop to think, electric gloves grabbed Panther around the waist and jumped. Her panicked scream cut off by a sudden jolt and the sound of boots landing on wood. Red clad chest heaved for air before Panther elbowed their torso harshly earning a grunt of pain to her satisfaction.
"Don't EVER do that again!" a spark of flame burned away part of their jacket showing off hollow ribs. "How did you know that would work anyway?"
Their shoulders shrugged sheepishly, "We didn.." the Galley had never heeded Skull's call directly before, Kidd seemed to be the only one who could even interact with the ghost ship physically. "Didn even think abou it, just trusted it'd work out alrigh.."
They descend further into the darkness, the depth seeming endless until the ship nearly dipped into the whirlpool of sand that nearly swallowed them all. The few torches that were lit before had been snuffed out, the embers that remained turned the unique shade of Arsene's curse fire.
Skull directed the ship around the edge, Panther's handful of flames their only guide until they crossed a corner whose blackness didn't fade.
"There ye are." Skull croons, docking gently on the floor beside it and setting Panther down on her feet. She kept her distance if only to be mindful of the forms shuffle away from her power.
"Aw come now, yer safe. The bastard's nothin but ash and the crew's in one piece. Come out and let us get a look atcha." Skull kneels before the mass, prodding fingers finding a gap and gently folding back the great midnight wings that sheltered their quarry.
Joker looked worse for wear, their skin paler than normal in an ashy white parody of sunburn. The glowing red eyes glossy with pain, slitted pupils both drinking the others in and avoiding direct contact. Joker's breath wheezes oddly between their fangs, a trickle of blood in the corner of their lips where their throat ripped from the strain. Knifelike talons click nervously, not nearly as long as Arsene's own, nor are the slender horns crowning their head, but better fit as a medium point to Akira's shape.
Panther didn't even need to speak, Carmen flaring into view and washing her friend in a green veil tinged with the warmth of a welcoming fireplace. Curious how the feeling of Dia changed depending on who cast it. Mona's more like a refreshing breeze while Queen filled them with bolstering energy.
Joker sighs softly in relief, shoulders slumping in a way they don't often let others see. Their eyes fluttered closed as the burns soothed, the skin behind their ivory mask darkening as if coal painted the upper half of their face. Their breathing evened and calmed when the feeling of swallowed sunlight faded.
Skull reached up and cups their cheek, brushing a thumb to clear away the blood from their lips. Joker tilts their head into the touch, the smallest mewl begging for forgiveness. Even with their throat no longer screaming they doubted words would come back for the rest of the day at least.
Joker kept their eyes on the ground passing through the door of the safe room, as much as he was ashamed to have fled like that, he wanted, needed, to make sure the rest of his- of their Den was safe. Skull's hand was heavy and reassuring on their shoulder guiding them to sit together on a bench.
His form had half gone back to normal on the way back. There was still a light behind their eyes and their gloves and teeth were too sharp with coal on their skin. But the wings and horns had faded to smaller imitations of themselves, they sit fiddling nervously until a blur of fur cannonballs itself into their chest. Reflexes quick as ever Joker catches Mona while the cat babbles on about their stupidity. Yes they were the leader but they shouldn't have run on by themselves ect ect.
Joker just smiles softly at the thinly veiled bluff, petting Mona's head in apology. No one pointed out his gradual slump against the wall, relief finally catching up to him and leaving them tired.
"I think we should call it a day." Panther murmurs.
Joker straightens up, shaking his head vehemently.
"Easy Kitten, no use pushin on if yer burnt out." Skull soothes.
Joker's face scrunches in a grimace, rooting around in his-eir pockets until the Abyss gem sits carefully in his palms, the-is nails clink on the surface when fingers clench worriedly, blood red eyes pleading at Skull to understand.
Skull stares back for a moment, his own gaze narrowed before huffing, "Yer wantin to finish this floor at least arencha.."
Joker nods urgently, t-he-y couldn't let this go on any longer if he could help it. Skull looked to the others to ask their opinions.
"...This Palace does feel different to the others, almost like it's trying to destroy itself, I can understand why Joker would want to hurry." Mona offers.
"I'd feel better if he would rest first, and another heal if we have the soul drops to spare." Panther puts out.
"Time does move strangely in the Metaverse. No matter how long or short our missions are, we always return home in the evening. I'm sure we can spare another hour or so without consequence." Fox adds.
Queen had been silent up till now, watching Joker the entire time. She didn't know what to think when she saw Joker change. All she could see were the Shadows of people that were corrupt with sickly yellow eyes and bloodlust fueled vice. She feared Skull had been the same when she saw the lights in his mask. But no, they both were still the friends she knew, it was just as if their Personas had become more than a mask it became their very selves. But that's all they were weren't they? A Shadow was one's subconscious, their inner soul, a Persona is one's Shadow who had been accepted and set free of their negativity. Joker was still Akira, right now he was just bared open to the rest of them in a way he normally wouldn't while hiding behind a mask of confident responsibility as a leader.
Queen smiles to herself a little, they would be alright, Joker wasn't alone after all. "Alright then, we take a break and regroup before going further. Though as team strategist if we run across another Shadow like that one I insist Joker backs out, leader or not he can't take another hit like that, all agreed?"
There was a chorus of 'aye's around the room, before Skull adds one last condition. "Tomorrow we're hitting the mall. See if the cat can help find something that'll resist that kinda magic. And Mona's gonna make sure you wear it before we come ta finish up this job, promise?"
Joker nods again, gratefulness flooding his eyes even as Skull tucks him to his side for a nap. Mona didn't even bother refuting the comment this time, just giving a solemn salute in accepting his personal mission.
The room grew quiet, Queen sorting through items and dispensing them. It wasn't until she was sure Joker's breathing had slowed enough to be restful that Panther raised the question in a low voice.
"So.. I get where you got birdie from with the flying off and all, but kitten?" She turns to Skull with a teasing smile.
The blonde in question flounders a bit, fighting to keep still and be a good pillow while also willing the heat from his face. "Well... " he coughs awkwardly, "You remember that conversation we had, joking that he acts more like a cat than Mona does sometimes?" His voice was soft, it was a rare occurrence where the team got together without Akira but he had been at a part time job that day.
That caught everyone's attention, Panther waves a hand for him to continue. Skull grins like he's holding back a laugh. "He's got a tail under that coat, I barely caught it cause it's the same color but I'm positive it's the one change that doesn't match up with Arsene."
There was a cacophony of strange noises while several people smothered snickers and giggles. And if Skull could feel his side vibrating under the warmth of his friend purring in his sleep, well he'd keep that part to himself.
An- ugh I actually started this around Halloween last year but at some point the document completely vanished and I spent a while not wanting to rewrite it due to despair but I did note down everything I remembered I had at least. I apologize to all pirates, Scottish or otherwise, for my bad attempt at an accent! Though they are technically supposed to be speaking Japanese and there are a lot of stereotypical themes due to the 'collective consciousness' thing so some leeway I suppose? I have decided on using the word Den for the devil side of Arsene/Joker to describe their family. Guild is a group of thieves sure but a den to both devils and thieves is home. Joker keeps switching between singular and plural pronouns at the end cause while he's not panicking anymore, he's still easing out of being merged with Arsene. I figure at this point Ryuji and Akira are still pretty early in their relationship or just before they got together, still feeling eachother out and feeding Akira's touch starvation. I would like to do more when I get the muse, especially the why of how Skull can do this as well and little mishaps of discovery the gang has along the way. I have NOT played royal yet! I was in the middle of doing a NG+ of the original when my ps4 corrupted, after which i mostly used for gensin impact cause im still having problems with it and I'd rather wait for the next model of ps5 with what I'm hearing about memory problems.